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Anyone expert with appliances?

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RayB:
I want the opinion of someone regarding our freezer. We bought a horizontal model freezer with the intention of using it in the basement. The only electrical outlet we can use for it is a couple feet too far (or should I say, the damn electrical cord on it is 2 feet too short!).

The user manual explicitly says NOT to use an extension cord.

My question to the experts is: WHY NOT?

I can understand they need to make sure nobody uses a 2-prong cord, or a power bar or anything dumb like that, but what's wrong with using a grounded heavy duty cord??

dstone:
I think that's in the manual to prevent people from using those little desk lamp extension cords. I figure as long as it's a pretty heavy gauge cord, there won't be any problems*. Our two freezers are located in our garage. When we had an extended blackout (lasted a few days), I ran a large extension cord from the two freezers in our garage to the circuit that the refrigerator was on, as it was hooked in to our standby generator. Worked like a champ and the extension cord never got hot like I've seen happen when a cord would get overloaded at a job site.


*I'm not responsible if you try this and your house burns down. I'm not a qualified electrician, I'm just speaking from my own personal experiences.

_Iz-:
Yeah, it's a wire gauge thing for sure. As long as you use a heavy gauge extension in the shortest length possible you'll be fine.

The note is to cover their butts. Invariably they'll get someone using a 50' light gauge cord complaining their compressor burned out, duhhhh....

RayB:
Presumably one of those thick orange ones, meant for lawn mowers n stuff is good enough ?

SirPeale:
I'd say something with a *really* heavy gauge would be okay.  At least 14G per wire.

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